4 Reasons Why Hiring Mistakes Happen

March 28th, 2017

As one of Hartford’s Top Staffing Firm, Stewart Staffing know that hiring mistakes happen, even at the best companies. Sometimes finding the right person can seem like looking for a needle in a haystack – and so you settle, only to pay the price later on. In fact, according to research by Glassdoor, as many as 95% of companies admit to recruiting the wrong people each year.

However, there are a few common mistakes that employers make during the process that increase the odds of a bad hire. Here’s a look at 4 – so you can avoid them:

A weak interview process.

Not having a consistent and effective interview process in place will certainly impact the quality of your new hires. Part of the problem lies in weak interview questions. In other words, not asking the questions that enable you to get behind the candidate mask. Another issue involves failing to communicate the nature of the role and the company’s culture. Either way, when candidates aren’t thoroughly evaluated through tough interview questions – and when the position isn’t properly explained – the results are the same: new hires who aren’t the right fit.

Not evaluating attitude.

Technical skills are important, but so are soft skills. So if you’re not evaluating a candidate’s personality – and how it would (or wouldn’t) – fit into your company’s culture, you’re missing out on an opportunity to make the best hiring decision. So beyond questions about experience and accomplishments, be sure to ask about communication, collaboration and interpersonal skills.

Letting a personal bias cloud your judgement.

We all have personal biases and sometimes they can cloud our decisions on a subconscious or conscious level during the hiring process. For instance, if a candidate went to the same college as you, you may feel more connected to them and could overlook weaknesses, as a result. While this is simply human nature, it can also lead to a hiring mistake. That’s why it’s important to keep an open mind and not allow any personal biases to influence your ultimate hiring decision.

Skipping the reference checking process.

A candidate looks great on paper and aces the interview. You’re ready to make an offer. But before you do, don’t skip the all-important reference checking step. Checking a candidate’s references might confirm what you already know about them. Or it could provide you with some important insight into their work ethic and quality. It’s a valuable opportunity that you shouldn’t pass up.

Would you like professional help avoiding hiring mistakes at your company?